By Nyana Kakoma | July 30th, 2015

Photo by Edward Echwalu
Photo by Edward Echwalu

Are you?

The mother’s daughter; stubborn, not so wise?

The father’s girl; eager to please, a distance denied

The sister dear; gossiping close

Secrets hanging like ripe mangoes

Ready to fall

The mother? Anxious and fast,

brown hot banana leaves stinging your hands

Wafting smells to the waiting many

The One?

 

Are you?

“My dear, come and I tell you

What the supervisor said about your appraisal.”

Motivated?

In taxis perched, back to driver, on tiny extra seat.

Hot or broke?

Are you born out of wedlock or born again?

Sheep of the pastor’s flock

Tithing, giving and soon eating grass?

One?

 

Are you?

The Radio-Reality fan?

Listening to auditory unwinding horror

Gonna call that number?

The quintessential African woman?

Short dreads, beeswax royal

Anointing your head,

A kitenge of mixed colors adorning your waist

Ready for funeral or party

True?

Edith Nakku-Joloba’s literary imagination was born at home; folk stories told by aunties, sisters and older cousins. She has been telling stories aloud from childhood and wrote stories from the age of 15. She has written fiction and non-fiction for The New Vision newspaper. She also writes a blog on books at Noonyabooks.blogspot.com  and another on life in Uganda at  livingfieldsuganda.blogspot.com
Nakku-Joloba is one of the Ugandan poets longlisted for the 2015 BN Poetry Award. The winner will be revealed during the Babishai Poetry Festival, 26-28th August at the Uganda Museum.

Comments:

  1. August 3, 2015           Reply

    lovely

  2. Judith Biribonwa
    March 16, 2016           Reply

    This is well thought of.
    Am just a beginner in poetry writing because i have the passion and i was wondering if u could give me some form of guidance to make me better.
    so far i have 3 short poems and i just do it for fun.

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